former republican senator chuck hagel will face tough questions at his confirmation hearing next thursday, and john brennan, the president's choice for cia director will be quizzed at his hearing next month. keith? >> thanks, melissa. >>> and we're waiting to hear from defense secretary leon panetta. we expect him to announce about an hour from now that the pentagon is lifting its ban on women in combat. the policy change will overturn a 1994 rule that banned women from being part of combat units. it'll open more than 200,000 positions to women. despite the combat ban, women in the military have still given their lives for this country. more than 150 women have been killed in iraq and afghanistan. >>> and gay rights activists are making a new appeal to the white house. they want president obama to ban federal contractors from discriminating against gay employees. current federal law bans discrimination based on sex, race, and national origin, but didn't mention sexual orientation. >>> d.c.'s police chief is challenging the findings of a new report released just a few minutes ago that the